Capital Crapshoot

Republican leadership presents its new $6.2 billion GOP budget. Gov. Janet Napolitano's budget maven, George Cunningham, tells the Arizona Republic: "If there are free elections in Iraq next week and 90 percent of the people elect Donald Rumsfeld as president, then the governor will sign this budget bill."

LET THE KANGAROO COURT BEGIN

House Speaker Jake Flake promises to hire outside an investigator in another step toward the possible impeachment of Corporation Commissioner Jim Irvin. Irvin vows to establish his innocence and find the real corrupt chowderhead.

SIGNATURE EFFORT

Napolitano vetoes a bill that would have allowed cities and towns to increase the number of signatures needed for referendum efforts. Cries of agony from Oro Valley Town Council heard as far away as Picacho Peak.

FINE IDEA

The Senate passes legislation slapping telemarketers with a $1,000 fine for phoning people on the federal "no-call" list. Lawmakers exempt political solicitation.

NO MO' BLING-BLING

State lawmakers hit the 120-day session limit for per diem, with payments for Southern Arizona lawmakers dropping from $60 to $20 per day. Lawmakers resort to a traditional saying: "Let's find a lobbyist to take us to dinner!"